Many people assume that an unripe mango is not ready for prime time, but to me, it’s an opportunity to make gỏi xoài (mango salad). The traditional rendition includes cooked shrimp and fatty pork, but I’ve found that dropping the proteins not only makes the salad less fussy (read: faster to make) but also shifts the focus to the produce and highlights the tropical flavor combinations that are central to Vietnamese cooking. The decluttered version is lighter, brighter, and easily adapted for vegan diners.

　　At the store, choose a rock-hard, unripe mango (one with all or mostly green skin). Store it in the fridge to prevent ripening. When you’re ready to make the salad, peel it with a knife or vegetable peeler, removing all vestiges of the firm green skin. The remaining flesh sweetens slightly and softens in the salad. For the jicama, choose a small, blemish-free one (ideally no larger than a grapefruit); it will be sweeter and less starchy than older, bigger ones.

　　This recipe was excerpted from 'Vietnamese Food Any Day' by Andrea Nguyen. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Unseasoned Rice Vinegar

　　$9 $8 At Amazon

　　Fish Sauce

　　$15 At Amazon

　　Microplane

　　$16 $14 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

　　2 cups packed thinly sliced green cabbage leaves

　　½ small jicama, peeled and cut into medium-thick matchsticks

　　One 16-ounce unripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into thick matchsticks (double the width of the jicama)

　　1 lime

　　Unseasoned rice vinegar as needed

　　1½ to 2 Tbsp. sugar

　　1½ to 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, or 1½ Tbsp. soy sauce plus ¼ tsp. fine sea salt

　　1 small garlic clove, put through a press or minced and mashed

　　1 Thai or small serrano chile, finely chopped, with seeds intact

　　¼ cup packed coarsely chopped fresh mint or basil

　　⅓ cup finely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts or cashews

　　

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, jicama, and mango and set aside. (The vegetables and fruit can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)

　　

Step 2

Using a fine rasp grater, such as a Microplane, zest the lime directly into a small bowl. Squeeze the lime to get 2 tablespoons of juice; if you’re short, add vinegar to make up the difference. Add the lime juice to the zest and then add the sugar (the amount depends on your palate and the mango—use more if the mango is sour). Stir to dissolve the sugar, then taste and add more sugar, if needed, for a strong tart-sweet finish. Add enough of the fish sauce to arrive at a bold, salty-tangy finish. Add the garlic and chile, stir, and then set the dressing aside.

　　

Step 3

Toss the vegetables and fruit well with the dressing, mint, and peanuts, until the cabbage and jicama soften slightly. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl, leaving excess dressing behind. Serve immediately.

　　Excerpted from Vietnamese Food Any Day: Simple Recipes for True, Fresh Flavors © 2019 by Andrea Nguyen. Photography © 2019 by Aubrie Pick. Reproduced by permission of Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. All rights reserved.Buy the full book from Amazon.